The Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council on Saturday dismissed reports that perceived crisis may have caused the exclusion of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo SAN, and others from the Tinubu presidential campaign council appointed on Friday. The explained that the exclusion was deliberate, saying that the directive was given by President Muhammadu Buhari, not the APC presidential candidate, Tinubu, to exclude Osinbajo and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, from the campaign council to enable them concentrate on their duties as the president is the head of the campaign.
The Director of Public Affairs and Chief Spokesperson of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, SAN, in a statement on Saturday titled: – Absence of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo from campaign council list no cause for concern – declared: “Our attention has been drawn to some stories making the rounds that there may be something amiss within the family of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the name of our own revered and respected Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, is not included in the list of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council.
“Nothing can be farther from the facts. For the avoidance of doubt, President Muhammadu Buhari, is the Chairman of the Campaign Council. As a result, Mr. President has SPECIFICALLY directed that the Vice-President and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, should be left out of the Campaign Council to concentrate on the governance of the country and administration of Government.
“As a responsible Party and Government, all the key functionaries of government cannot abandon their positions for electioneering campaigns.
“The APC has the mandate of the Nigerian people to administer the country on their behalf at least till May 29, 2023, and this we intend to do with all sense of responsibility.”
Keyamo, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, however, noted that the APC presidential has indicated that the list could be reviewed when necessary.
“Our candidates and the leadership of the APC have also indicated that the list is not sacrosanct as there may be periodic review of it as circumstances dictate.
“We will not toe the path of those who governed the country in an irresponsible manner before us and our Party is not in total disarray like those who wish to ‘rescue’ the country but cannot simply manage their own internal affairs.”